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LANNWS-12-28-22 BLACKMON-NEAL COL Sheila Blackmon-Neal
Sheila Blackmon-Neal
Many times, in our lives, if the truth be told, we want to question God.
We ask God: What are you up to? Why is this happening? Why did this have to be? Why am I experiencing these trials? Problems? Short-coming? Why? Why? Why?
Instead of trusting God’s hand and His plans, we ask God why, when the Bible tells us, “the just shall walk by faith.”
The Bible tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It also says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
We, as children of the most-high God, we should have faith to believe that God is going to see us through. Faith to believe, when we pray, that
He will hear and He will answer our prayers. Faith to believe that God is going to work it out. Faith to believe, when we pray, that we can take God at His word and He will work it out.
In Mark 11, Jesus cursed a fig tree. Peter recognized it the next morning and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
The Bible teaches us, if our faith is active in obedience to God’s word, then it will lead us to believe. Unless our faith produces active obedience, we do not have the right kind of faith. And certainly, if we don’t have active faith, then how can we expect God to move on our behalf when we pray?
Faith leads to blessings. Faith leads us to walk in the word of God.
Faith leads us to have confidence in God. Faith helps us to trust God.
Faith leads us to salvation.
But we must believe in the power of faith when we pray.
In the last two years of my life, cancer was my mountain.
By faith, I had already declared that I was healed. Before the tests were given, before the results were conclusive, I spoke faith. I had to believe that God was going to move my mountain. And guess what? He did!
And that same God that moved my mountain can move yours. God is greater than any mountain in our lives.
The Rev. Sheila Blackmon-Neal from Lancaster is pastor of One Step Christian Ministries in Bishopville.
